The Ministry of Education plans major reforms for Kenya’s Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) to fix issues in staffing, infrastructure, and curriculum implementation. Learn more about CS Julius Ogamba’s Senate briefing.
The Ministry of Education has announced ongoing plans to reform Kenya’s Junior Secondary School (JSS) system to address numerous challenges affecting the new level of learning. Speaking before the Senate Education Committee, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the government is reviewing the JSS framework to strengthen independence, improve staffing, and streamline curriculum delivery.
Mr. Ogamba explained that while JSS is currently being implemented in line with recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, further consultations are underway to refine the structure. “The process of reforming Junior Secondary to respond to any emerging concerns is in progress. At the appropriate time, Parliament will be presented with proposals for its consideration,” he said.
Addressing teacher deployment and subject mismatch
The CS was responding to questions raised by Senator Joe Nyutu (Murang’a) on why some teachers were being forced to handle subjects outside their specialization. Mr. Ogamba noted that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) introduced new learning areas that do not strictly align with traditional teacher training.
He assured the Senate that all JSS teachers have undergone retooling to acquire pedagogical and content skills for the new system. “All teachers in Junior School have been trained to handle new subjects effectively. We have also prioritized the recruitment of science, mathematics, and technical teachers to address critical shortages,” he said.
Bridging infrastructure gaps
On the issue of infrastructure, Mr. Ogamba admitted that several schools still lack laboratories and workshops but emphasized that efforts are ongoing to close these gaps. He cited the construction of over 23,000 classrooms nationwide and directed schools to repurpose available spaces for practical learning.
Schools, he said, can use their annual allocation of Ksh.4,000 per learner for laboratory improvement and other facility upgrades. The CS added that the government is also working with development partners and private entities to enhance infrastructure and ensure JSS achieves its intended goals.
